If you have one right after the other with the ACX sort of cooler, that's normal. I experienced the same on my two FTWs before getting them on water.
Basically, the top card is sucking the hot air produced at the rear of the second card and using it to cool off its components. This is why some people prefer the "blower style" cooler for SLIing.

I just wanted to bump this thread because i have a similar issue. 64°C idle temperatures with 0% gpu load.  Its worse because i'm only running a single card with very good case ventilation.  on the evga 970 SC acx 2.0 cooler.

KarmaPLZ
I just wanted to bump this thread because i have a similar issue. 64°C idle temperatures with 0% gpu load.  Its worse because i'm only running a single card with very good case ventilation.  on the evga 970 SC acx 2.0 cooler.

So I'm going to install the nzxt g10 bracket with the kraken x31 for better temperatures and let you know how it works on monday

KarmaPLZ
I realize fans don't kick in until that high, my point is the graphics card is doing no work for 40 mins sitting on 0% gpu usage and still hangs around 60°C.  All reviews of the card have idle temps between 30-40. I can only achieve 45°C if i manually force the fan to 40% spin.

What did you expect with the fans not runnning? 30C without the fans running? Not going to happen. The reviews you looked at most likely had the fans running at idle.

KarmaPLZ
I realize fans don't kick in until that high, my point is the graphics card is doing no work for 40 mins sitting on 0% gpu usage and still hangs around 60°C.  All reviews of the card have idle temps between 30-40. I can only achieve 45°C if i manually force the fan to 40% spin.

One big difference is that SLI isn't utilized by the operating system in desktop applications. So, one card is litterally doing nothing (not even outputing an image) and the other is doing everything you see on the screen. Naturally, you can see why one would be so much cooler than the other. Add in the fact that the one doing work is higher up (heat rises) and has less air flow due to the bottom card blocking air flow.

i can get mine down to about 35 with the fans off

un4givn85
i can get mine down to about 35 with the fans off

This exactly, why do i have a 30° difference at idle. 

KarmaPLZ

un4givn85
i can get mine down to about 35 with the fans off

This exactly, why do i have a 30° difference at idle. 

Could you post a pic of your setup?
That may help in figuring it out.

Have had my new GTX 970 FTW ( with backplate from promotion)  in about a week now, it idles usually around 34-35c. Late last night it was cooler in here and was idling at 32c.
 

Scarlet-Tech


D.burnette, did you change much to get the temp drop like that? Could you also post a picture of your setup? Please?

Not really, I just put the backplate on and replaced my 770 with the new 970 FTW.
I apparently have pretty good circulation in my case, my cpu cores idle pretty low as well ( 18-20c).
 
You can see some pics on my Mods Rigs page that I posted after I did the new build last Dec. It is still pretty much the same with this new card being the only difference.
 
My ambient room temp is probably little lower than most, we tend to keep it pretty cool in the house ( wife has hot flashes lol).
 
 
 
 
 

KarmaPLZ

ty_ger07

KarmaPLZ
I realize fans don't kick in until that high, my point is the graphics card is doing no work for 40 mins sitting on 0% gpu usage and still hangs around 60°C.  All reviews of the card have idle temps between 30-40. I can only achieve 45°C if i manually force the fan to 40% spin.

One big difference is that SLI isn't utilized by the operating system in desktop applications. So, one card is litterally doing nothing (not even outputing an image) and the other is doing everything you see on the screen. Naturally, you can see why one would be so much cooler than the other. Add in the fact that the one doing work is higher up (heat rises) and has less air flow due to the bottom card blocking air flow.

I'm not running SLI

Re: Sli 970's IDLE temps so far off

Get your own thread. Very confusing!

BTW, put some fans in your computer case if you want to drop the idle temperature. ;) One more in the bottom blowing up and two more in the top. And bundle those wires together so they don't block air flow like the spaghetti monster. Also, I would install the expansion slot covers in the back of your case so that you get airflow through your whole case instead of sucking it in the middle of your case and leaving a dead airflow spot in the forward upper portion. Lastly, have you considered cleaning the dust out of your case?

KarmaPLZ
Case and idle temperature:
 

ty_ger07

KarmaPLZ

ty_ger07

KarmaPLZ
I realize fans don't kick in until that high, my point is the graphics card is doing no work for 40 mins sitting on 0% gpu usage and still hangs around 60°C.  All reviews of the card have idle temps between 30-40. I can only achieve 45°C if i manually force the fan to 40% spin.

One big difference is that SLI isn't utilized by the operating system in desktop applications. So, one card is litterally doing nothing (not even outputing an image) and the other is doing everything you see on the screen. Naturally, you can see why one would be so much cooler than the other. Add in the fact that the one doing work is higher up (heat rises) and has less air flow due to the bottom card blocking air flow.

I'm not running SLI

Re: Sli 970's IDLE temps so far off

Get your own thread. Very confusing!

BTW, put some fans in your computer case if you want to drop the idle temperature. ;) One more in the bottom blowing up and two more in the top. And bundle those wires together so they don't block air flow like the spaghetti monster. Also, I would install the expansion slot covers in the back of your case so that you get airflow through your whole case instead of sucking it in the middle of your case and leaving a dead airflow spot in the forward upper portion. Lastly, have you considered cleaning the dust out of your case?

 
Also just noticed the GPU-Z.. it says 2 GPU's, SLI Disabled.  Picture shows 1 GPU.  Disable iGPU in the BIOS, it will stop showing 2 GPU's.  The new thermal material isn't going to help without air moving in the case.  Absolutely not going to happen.. FANS.. Please. 
 

Remember that when your cards are in an SLI configuration one card (primary) is pushing the monitor when you're not gaming/web surfing and the other is idle. So the primary is always hotter. especially in idle. 

KarmaPLZ

Scarlet-Tech
 
Also just noticed the GPU-Z.. it says 2 GPU's, SLI Disabled.  Picture shows 1 GPU.  Disable iGPU in the BIOS, it will stop showing 2 GPU's.  The new thermal material isn't going to help without air moving in the case.  Absolutely not going to happen.. FANS.. Please. 
 

There are fans going, one exit up top and one intake down near the hdds.  They weren't spinning in that picture because i had it unplugged temporarily.  I've made the internals like a tornado with a flow of exhaust fans up top and intakes down below. Didn't make a difference.  The new TIM did make a 6°C drop in idle temps however.  

Put one more in the bottom and two more in the top. Bottom and top are different than front and back. ;)
Currently, you have one in the front bottom and one in the back top. But you have zero in the bottom and zero in the top. Put one in the bottom blowing up and two in the top blowing up.

Your hard drive cage is blocking air flow. Your wire mess is blocking air flow. Your missing rear expansion slot covers are screwing up your air flow. Your video card fans aren't spinning. You have no CPU fan to help move dead air around. You have a ton of dust in your case. You have an airflow problem currently.

And again, please make a new thread. You don't have SLI and are confusing people.

Please post an updated picture as well. Your last picture had fans up top, but not a single one in your case. They were outside of your case, which helps nothing inside the case.